PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - Firefighters with the Picatinny Arsenal Fire Department continue to roll out training that could potentially help add years to someone’s life through cardiac emergency intervention.
So far this year, about 80 Picatinny Arsenal employees have received instruction on how to respond to cardiac emergencies. Another 162 members of the workforce are expected to complete the training by the end of 2023.
The course, held at Armament University, uses curriculum provided by the American Heart Association (AHA), the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and strokes.
The AHA’s Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED course trains participants to provide first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) in a safe, timely, and effective manner. According to the AHA, 436,000 Americans die from a cardiac arrest annually.
CPR is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating. Immediate CPR can double or triple chances of survival after cardiac arrest.
“The courses we are conducting are geared for anyone with little or no medical training,” said Captain Charles Dickinson of the PAFD. “It is meant to ensure that upon successful completion attendees are prepared for an emergency in any situation. Attendees also receive a course completion card which is valid for two years.”
Globally, cardiac arrest claims more lives than the combined total deaths from colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, influenza, pneumonia, auto accidents, HIV, firearms, and house fires.
“As a father of two, I wanted to retake this course to make sure if the need arose, I would be prepared with basic first aid, or life saving techniques, and at a minimum, know to get the right type of help,” said Alex Olaverri, a senior engineer with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center.
“I have been faced with life threatening situations in the past, and wanted to become better prepared,” Olaverri said after completing the course.
There are about 10,000 cardiac arrests in the workplace each year in the United States, according to a report from the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
“CPR is not easy to implement,” Olavarri said. “I have greater appreciation for those first responders that support us day in and out. This is a course everyone should take whether for home or for work.”
Many buildings across Picatinny Arsenal are equipped with automated external defibrillators. These AEDs automatically diagnose the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. These conditions are treated through defibrillation, the application of electricity that stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm.
With simple audio and visual commands, AEDs are designed to be simple to use for the layperson. The use of AEDs is taught in many first aid, certified first responder, and basic life support (BLS) level CPR classes, such as the one taught by the Picatinny Arsenal Fire Department.
“Emergencies can arise at any time and first responders may take several minutes or longer to arrive,” Dickinson said. “In just a few short hours of attending this interactive and hands-on course you’ll learn and develop skills to provide life saving measures to bridge that gap in time. The knowledge and skills obtained during this course will better prepare you to handle emergencies with family, friends, and coworkers in the future.”
Topics that are covered during the course include the following:
· First aid basics
· Medical emergencies
· Injury emergencies
· Environmental emergencies
· Preventing illness and injury
· Adult CPR and AED use
· Opioid-associated life-threatening emergencies
“We are currently working on plans to provide Hands-Only CPR training during Safety Stand Down Week in June,” Dickinson said.
Those interested in scheduling a course for their organization can find the PAFD in the Garrison Catalog of Services.
Scheduled courses at the Armament University are already booked through June. Instruction is free for Armaments Center employees. Non-Armaments Center employees must pay an $85 fee that covers the cost of AHA certification. Those interested in attending should contact the Armament University training administrator at 973-724-6501.
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